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3-D Virtual Model of Surgical Otologic Anatomy in Human

The "Visible Ear" is a library of digital images of a human temporal bone and surrounding structures developed by Mads Sorensen, M.D. and colleagues at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark (Sorenson et al, ORL, 2002; 64:378-381). The sections were obtained from an 85-year old female with no history of otologic disease. The temporal bone and surrounding structures were serially sectioned at 25 micron thickness. Anatomical structures of interest were segmented by Dr. Sorensen and colleagues. This data was used to generate the present model which is a surface rendering of various structures including the external, middle and inner ears, cranial nerves, carotid and vertebral arteries, sigmoid and cavernous venous sinuses, dura with CSF space, as well as the skin and soft tissues around the ear. The model was generated using Amira, version 3.1. The surface model can also be sliced open in the X, Y or Z planes and the appropriate raw histological image can be superimposed on the cleavage plane.

Contributors to this model include Haobing Wang, M.A. from Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Michael Teixido, M.D and Brian Kung, M.D from Delaware Biotechnology Institute, as well as Mads Sorenson, M.D. and his group from Copenhagen, Denmark. Model development was supported by a core grant from the NIDCD (P30 DC05209).

Michael Teixido, M.D. has created a set of teaching movies based on the 3-D Virtual Models of the Human Temporal Bone.

Installation:

Windows (XP):

Download and uncompress the setup package.

Double click on the setup.exe file and follow the instructions on the wizard to install .

When running the program for the first time, the OS will complain that this program is from an unidentified developer. Just right click on the application, select "Open", then choose "Open" in the pop-up window. You only need to do this for the first time.